EURmail

Please add EUR to your Email Address Book to ensure you will
continue to receive our newsletters. Our email address is:
info@eurweb.com

-------------------------------------

Lee Bailey's EUR/Electronic Urban Report
May 05, 2008 (Monday)

The EUR is factual online infotainment on today's hottest
celebrities, events and issues in urban/black entertainment and culture.

For your FREE subscription, send e-mail to: EURmail-subscribe@topica.com

To ***, follow the instructions at the END of this report
and you will be taken off this list immediately.

If your EUR comes LATE or not at all, just send an e-mail To our
autoresponder ( lateeur@eurweb.com ) and it will come right back. Or,
visit our Web site ( www.EURweb.com ).

***********************************************************
In This Issue:

* WITNESS ADMITS THREESOME WITH R. KELLY AND VICTIM
* MARIAH MARRIAGE CAUSES VARIED REACTIONS
* JAY-Z TO SET UP TRUST FOR SEAN BELL'S KIDS
* GARY DOURDAN SAYS HE'S 'EMBARRASSED'

***********************************************************

TOWER OF POWER AT PLAYBOY JAZZ FEST: Band's Emilio Castillo talks funk,
jazz, and soul
-- by Kenya M Yarbrough

*Four-decade funkdafied soul band Tower of Power is going Hollywood
this summer. The 10-piece band is just one of the legendary acts
performing at this year's Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl
June 14-15.

Led by tenor saxophonist and founder Emilio Castillo, this summer
the horn-based band will be celebrating their 40th anniversary together,
too. The band formed in the 1960s with pretty consistent success and a
huge hit in 1973 with "So Very Hard To Go."

Castillo told EUR's Lee Bailey that the band's longevity is based
on the passion for their style of music - something he considers a gift,
and at times a curse.

"Some people would say that [our] music doesn't change. We make
music really selfishly. We make it to please ourselves. We've always had
a passion for this style of music; this original soul music, high
energy, high emotion. We just try to keep pushing the envelope in our
genre. As it turns out, our particular genre kind of thinned out over
the years. We outlasted everybody," he said.

"We're quite blessed to be one of the forerunners of this kind of
music. We realize it's a blessing so we approach it sort of reverently,"
he continued, but then talked about how at one point in their career,
the record labels wanted the group to change.

"We went through that in the late '70s, early '80s," Castillo said
of being pressured by the record label to adapt to music's changes at
that time. "Companies were telling us, 'You don't sound like the other
bands. Could you give us a record that sounds like some of these other
records?' We would try, but what we noticed was even when we tried to
sound like others, it would sound like Tower of Power anyway, but sort
of a bastardized version."

Castillo said that for a while, the band considered their stylings
to be a curse, because things slowed down in their careers and pretty
soon, the record label wasn't asking them to make a change - in fact
they weren't asked to do anything.

"They didn't want nothing to do with us," Castillo said. "It was
at that time we realized that we still had a great big fan base, we were
still playing live all the time, and the people that were into the band
loved it. So we said, if we're going to make music, we're going to make
the kind we like, and we made a rule to be true to ourselves. As soon as
we did that, things started to pick up for us again."

Castillo added that new technology also aided in the bands return
to the limelight. He explained that with the Internet, ToP realized they
had fans all over the world.

"That was a big boom for the band. We got resigned to Sony, did
six records for them, started traveling the world and never looked
back."

Tower of Power not only made a name for themselves over the years,
but the band also gave a hand to quite a few other legendary names.
Their signature horns played on a number of records, including those of
the Monkees, Santana, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship,
Heart, Huey Lewis and the News, Spyro Gyra, Lyle Lovett, Poison, Toto,
Pharoahe Monch, and Aerosmith. Most recently the band worked on a song
for Josh Groban's "Awake" album.

With the band's repertoire of soul hits and pop, rock, and hip-hop
collaborations, some music fans might wonder how ToP is on a jazz show
roster.

"I used to get that a few years back," he said of being questioned
about the genre mix, "but a couple of jazz festivals put us on the show
and we became the wake-up call. People would be out there passing
chicken and sushi and starting to snore and we'd come on and tear the
place a part. We've done quite a few jazz festivals now and we've fit in
quite well."

Castillo said that the band doesn't make any jazz concessions in
their music either.

"There's a lot of jazz in our music. The music doesn't change
much. We just dish it up Tower of Power style."

So forty years after it's inception, Tower of Power will be on
stage at the Playboy Jazz Festival in June, and will soon be releasing a
new disc of reworkings of classic soul hits, including Aretha Franklin's
"Baby, Baby, Sweet Baby," the 1972 Billy Paul hit "Me and Mrs. Jones,"
and a four-song James Brown medley. Castillo describes the forthcoming
disc as "old soul music, Tower of Power style."

"I always tell people that it's a soul band. People say, 'No, it's
a funk band.' Funk is one aspect of soul music. Soul music covers the
whole gamut of music that has energy and emotion. Our up-tempo songs
have this tremendous amount of energy; our heart-wrenching ballads have
this tremendous emotional energy; and then there are all those songs in
between - the shuffles and the medium-tempo stuff - that just warms the
heart. But it's all got to do with emotion and energy and that's what
soul music is."

Look for the funky, jazzy soul music of Tower of Power at the
Playboy Jazz Festival and on their new disc. For more info, check out
www.playboyjazzfestival.com or www.towerofpower.com/.

VOTE FOR The EURweb Media Awards Nominees!
-------------------------------
The top nominees are in and the voting process has
begun. You can now choose from nominees for the Most
Out-Standing "print media," "electronic media,"
"agency," "journalist," "photographer," and "media
friendly celebrity." Winners will be announced at
the EURweb Media Awards Friday, August 1st at LA
Convention Center between 5 - 7 p.m., after the
EURweb Media Expo 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. To place your
vote visit: www.eurweb.com/mediaawards. For more
information email EURwebawards@eurweb.com or
call (toll-free) 866-366-2160.

The King Of Civil Rights Lives!
Visit: http://www.kingofcivilrights.blogspot.com

EUR gives you something to really talk about.
Got feedback? Hit us back at: Myfeedback@eurweb.com

EUR Newsbits

WITNESS ADMITS THREESOME WITH R. KELLY AND VICTIM: Woman to testify in
upcoming trial. Plus, Najee Ali plans protest Friday at courthouse.

*The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that a witness in R. Kelly's
upcoming child pornography trial will testify that she had a three way
sexual encounter with the singer and the allegedly underage girl
depicted in a sex tape.

The 41-year-old R&B superstar has pleaded not guilty to charges
that he videotaped himself having sex with a girl thought to be 13 or
14. As part of the case, prosecutors claim to have identified the girl,
who is now in her 20s.

Kelly's lawyers plan to argue - and the alleged victim will
reportedly testify - that she is not the girl in the tape. But the
prosecution's new witness is expected to not only identify the girl in
the tape, but testify that she was indeed underage at the time of the
recording.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin at Chicago's Cook County
Courthouse on Friday. Civil rights activist Najee Ali of Project Hope
will lead a protest against Kelly at 8 a.m. Friday outside of the
building, located at 2650 S California Ave.

MARIAH MARRIAGE CAUSES VARIED REACTIONS: Plus, singer cancels 'View'
taping that was scheduled for this morning.

*Co-hosts on "The View" will not get a chance to grill Mariah Carey on
her reported marriage to Nick Cannon last week. Her rep confirmed that
she has pulled out of her scheduled taping this morning that was due to
air on Friday (May 9).

Carey and Cannon may not be talking, but friends and associates
of the apparent newlyweds are speaking out about the rushed nuptials,
which reportedly took place last week on Eleuthera, a Caribbean island
next to Windermere, where Carey reportedly owns a home.

"I'm shell shocked," a source in Carey's camp tells People. "As
far as I know, they are happy together."

Music mogul Russell Simmons said he didn't know about the
nuptials ahead of time, but sees why the pairing works. "Whatever makes
them happy,"
he said Friday. "They have a lot in common and should have a lot of fun
together."

Cannon's brother, Gabriel, tells People: "It's crazy right! We're
definitely happy. Well wishes! I'm trying to be like him and I love him
very much."

Another insider says the couple didn't even know each other
before Carey's video shoot for her song "Bye, Bye" in the Caribbean on
March 26.
"Nick was cast as the romantic lead and was flown to Antigua where they
met so basically their [romance] started during the shoot," the insider
says, adding, "She's very into religion and Nick is very into religion.
That's something they bonded on."

People tracked down Bishop Clifford Petty of the National Church of God
in Eleuthera's Governor's Harbour, who claims to have performed the
ceremony. Petty provided no details except to confirm that he did not
give a sermon.

Jacob "the Jeweler" Arabo, who reportedly made Carey's wedding
ring, also confirmed the marriage to People. Additionally, the magazine
cited an unnamed source as saying that Carey obtained a marriage license
in Eleuthera, although a representative at the island's register's
office told MTV News on Friday that she has no record of a license in
Carey's or Cannon's names.

However, Monique Gomez, a Bahamian attorney in Nassau who
specializes in family law, told People.com: "The minister would make
sure [the license] goes into the registry. It's still a valid marriage
even if it's not filed.
Anywhere in the world."

There have been additional rumors that Cannon was used as a cover
for Carey's real marriage to Mark Sudack, a member of her management
team whom she has long been rumored to be dating. But TMZ.com claimed
on Friday that those reports are untrue.

------ ABFF 2008 ------
The 12th annual American Black Film Festival
returns to Los Angeles, August 7-10. Film
submission is now open. Registration
discounts are available through May 15.
For information visit www.abff.com

--------------------
LOOKING FOR CELEBRITY DIRT?
If you crave constant info, er "dirt," on your
favorite or not so favorite celeb, Dirt123.com is
where you should be looking. With continuous
updates from top blogs like Perez Hilton, Media
Take Out, TMZ, Concrete Loop, Sandra Rose
and lots more, you'll be so deep in dirt, you'll
wanna take a ... mud bath! :)
www.Dirt123.com
Because you want ALL the dirt!

DIDDY GETS HIS HOLLYWOOD STAR: Mogul becomes fixture on Walk of Fame;
then heads to afterparty.

*Sean "Diddy" Combs made his Hollywood Walk of Fame induction ceremony
an event on Friday, complete with fans courted by an online video,
advance interviews with the press and, of course, a Beverly Hills after
party.

"It's also like my coming-out party here in Hollywood," Combs told AP
before the affair in front of the Hollywood-Highland complex. "I don't
have nothing to hide about that. If I'm going to come someplace, I'm
going to make some noise, and you're going to know I'm here."

Oscar winner Jamie Foxx led fans in a chant of "Diddy! Diddy!
Diddy!," and recited popular lines from his songs before officially
introducing him to the crowd.

In his acceptance speech, Diddy proclaimed: "Today is proof that if you
believe, all your dreams can come true. I've gone from Harlem to
Hollywood."

Friday night, the celebration moved to billionaire Ron Burkle's
sprawling Beverly Hills estate. Calling it an "intimate 250-person
party" with "just very very close friends and family and people that I
know throughout the industry," the event reportedly cost $4 million.

Combs is house-hunting in Los Angeles now, and plans to split his
time between here and New York to pursue his acting career. To that end,
he's looking through scripts in search of the next role.

JAY-Z TO SET UP TRUST FOR SEAN BELL'S KIDS: Plus, mogul's Live Nation
deal closed.

*Allhiphop.com is reporting that Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is in the
process of setting up an educational trust for the children of Sean
Bell, the unarmed African American man who was shot and killed by police
hours before his wedding.

The Web site says sources have confirmed that the mogul is working
with Nicole Paultre Bell, Sean Bell's widow, to establish stock-based
trust funds for both of their children.

Nicole Bell was featured in an ad for Jay-Z's Rocawear "I Will
Not Lose" advertising campaign.

Meanwhile, Billboard Biz is reporting that Jay-Z's $150 million deal
with Live Nation closed on Wednesday night.

The company filed a Form-8K with the SEC which states that the
artist is getting 775,434 Live Nation shares, plus an option on an
additional 500,000 with the exercise price of $13.73. The shares go to
Marcy Media, the company affiliated with Jay-Z in connection with the
formation of Roc Nation LLC, a joint entertainment venture between Live
Nation and Jay-Z.

As previously reported, the Live Nation pact includes Roc Nation,
as well as the rapper's own recordings and tours for the next 10 years.
Live Nation will reportedly contribute $5 million each year in overhead
for five years and offer $25 million to finance Jay-Z's external
acquisitions and investments, plus $10 million per album for a minimum
of three album within the deal's term.

Jay-Z will also receive another $20 million for other rights
including publishing and licensing. Live Nation is already producing the
current Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige tour, which is putting up sellout numbers.

---------------------
$500 - $1000/Per Day (CA$H)
(Just Returning Phone Calls)
**No Selling **Not MLM **No Boss
Full Training & Support 24/7
Learn From Successful Mentors Daily
For Audio Details Visit:
www.missionarycmoney.com
(888) 304-9888 (Be Financially Free)

IT'S HERE! THE NEW EURweb COMMUNITY
How would you like to have your own website/page
to post your favorite videos, photos, music and more?
Well, now you can. You'll even be able to publish
your own blog. It's yours to do whatever (within
reason) you want. Give it a test drive now
at www.EURwebCommunity.com

Who's Minding Your Civil Rights?
Visit: http://www.kingofcivilrights.blogspot.com

GARY DOURDAN SAYS HE'S 'EMBARRASSED': Plus, actor texts friend Shaun
Robinson about events leading up to drug arrest.

*Gary Dourdan spoke to People magazine about his arrest last week after
being found in possession of suspected cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and
prescription pills, reports the Associated Press.

"Obviously I am embarrassed to find myself in this situation, and
I am profoundly grateful to everyone for their support," the "CSI" star
said in a statement to the magazine. "I have complete confidence in and
respect for the justice system and will cooperate fully with any
investigation."

The actor posted $5,000 bail and was released following his
arrest early Monday in Palm Springs, Calif.

Meanwhile, his camp responded over the weekend to the publication
of a personal text Dourdan sent to Access Hollywood host Shaun Robinson,
who posted it on the show's Web site. A spokesman for Dourdan tells
People:
"This was a personal text to a friend taken completely out of context."
The exchange was not intended for air or publication.

In the e-mail to Robinson, Dourdan, 41, explained the
circumstances that led police to discover him asleep in his car, which
was parked on the wrong side of the road.

"Obviously I certainly wish I hadn't been responsible for so many
people getting to the festival's VIP area," Dourdan wrote, referring to
the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. "And the after party, it ran
me ragged, but I'm glad pulling over did prevent a DUI."

He also goes on to say, "I am blessed that the Sgt. realized that
the luggage carrying whatever they found was not mine and that my tests
have been coming back negative."

Dourdan, who has not been formally charged, returned to work on
"CSI"
shortly after his arrest. His arraignment is set for May 28.

U.K. GOV. TRIES AGAIN TO BLOCK SNOOP: Border Agency says an 'error' was
made in recent decision to overturn ban.

*The British Government is not finished with Snoop Dogg.

Although a decision to ban the rapper from the U.K. was recently
overturned by a judge, the U.K. Border Agency has appealed, citing "a
material error in law" made during an immigration hearing in January,
reports BBC News.

Following the appeal, the Court Of Appeal will now make a decision
about whether Snoop's case should be heard again.

The rapper had his visa snatched due to his involvement in an
April 2006 brawl at London's Heathrow Airport. However, Judge Neha Bird
overturned the decision earlier this month, concluding that Snoop, born
Calvin Broadus, had been peaceful and not reacted to provocation from
officials, including police officers.

A rep for the U.K. Border Agency said: "There has been no change
in the facts that led to Mr. Broadus being denied a visa. We stand by
that initial decision. We will continue to oppose the entry to the U.K.
of individuals where we believe there may be a risk to the public."

UPLIFTING MINDS RETURNS TO LA
June 28-29, 2008 the "Uplifting Minds II"
Entertainment Conference arrives back in
L.A. at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
For more information on attending the seminars
or competition in the showcase call toll free
866-366-2160 or email FreeAssocInc2@aol.com.
Sponsored in part by EURweb.com, L.A. Watts
Times and KDAY. www.UpliftingMinds2.com

The EURweb Media Expo & Awards Show is Coming!
-------------------------------
It's been 10 years in the making and on August 1, 2008
EURweb.com will present its first Media Expo & Awards
Show at the LA Convention Center. All media companies
should plan on being at this historic event. For more
info, visit: www.eurweb.com/mediaexpo/ or send email to
EURwebAwards@eurweb.com or call (toll-free) 866-366-2160

--------------
WHAT DO THE STARS HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU?
Find out by visiting our NEW astrology page
http://www.eurweb.com/dailies.cfm?item=el

KANYE WEST GOES OFF ON ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Rapper didn't appreciate B+
review of his Seattle tour stop.

*Kanye West has blown a gasket over a B+ review of his Glow in the Dark
tour in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly.

At his Web site, the rapper posts a screen shot of the review by writer
Chris Willman, then writes an expletive-filled rant protesting the
review, the grade, the writer and the entire publication.

In the EW review of West's tour launch in Seattle, [read entire article
here http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20197288,00.html], Willman wrote
that he "takes fans on a galactic voyage, folding his hits into a
wacked-out space opera that's the ultimate ego trip. Normally, that'd be
an insult, but with West, who's made an art form out of dramatizing both
humility and hubris, it's mission accomplished."

Willman also reviewed opening acts Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D. and Rihanna.

He wrote: "Lupe Fiasco has the material to make good on his
''next Kanye'' status, though he suffered from rapping to studio tracks
(and ''Kick, Push'' deserves more than a reduced medley slot). By
contrast, N.E.R.D. rocked out with their full-band set; Pharrell
Williams is no great singer, but he's a great party starter. The glam
Rihanna provided respite from all this testosterone and packed an
undeniable string of hits into her half hour, moving smoothly through
light choreography. But her should-be slam dunk, ''Umbrella,'' felt off,
with the rain-gear-wielding backup dancers working harder to sell the
smash than she did."

In a posting on his Web site, West fired back with the following:

Yo, anybody that's not a fan; don't come to my show. For what?!
To try and throw ya'll two cents in? Ya'll rated my album s**tty and now
ya'll come to the show and give it a B+. What's a B+ mean? I'm an
extremist. It's either pass or fail! A+ or F-! You know what, f**k you
and the whole f**king staff!!! I know I shouldn't dignify this with a
comment, but the reviewer threw a jab at all the artists. I just wanna
know when was the last time you enjoyed yourself. If you can't have fun
and lose yourself at this tour it's a good chance you're a very
miserable person. I actually feel sorry for you guys. Your job forces
you to not have fun anymore. Grab a drink, holla at some nice girls, and
party b**ch!! You don't know sh*t about passion and art. You'll never
gain credibility at this rate. You're fucking trash! I make art. You
can't rate this. I'm a real person. I'm not a pop star. I don't care
about anything but making great art. Never come 2 one of my shows ever
again, you're not invited and if you see me...BOW!! This is not pop,
it's pop art!

In other Kanye news, the "pop artist" reportedly stormed off stage
during a show in Houston after a technical glitch threatened his
performance.

According to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Ye was performing at
the city's Woodlands Pavilion on Friday (May 2) when side screens at the
venue, which were supposed to show West, stopped working.

Mid-performance, he shouted, "Turn the f**king screens off,"
before stopping the show and exclaiming, "If the s**t's not working just
turn it off," and storming off. However West then re-emerged and
finished his set.

GET LOTS MORE NEWS AT EURWEB
Space limits the amount of news we
put in the EUR newsletter, but you'll
find LOTS, LOTS MORE stories at
EURweb ( www.EURweb.com ).

===============
GOT NEWS? Share it with us ( info@eurweb.com )
=================

OTHER NEWS

TRINITY REP DENIES WRIGHT/REYNOLDS DINNER: Daily News item also had
Wright 'huddled in a corner' with organizer of Press Club appearance.

*A rep for Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ has written
EURweb to deny a New York Daily News story regarding its former pastor
Jeremiah Wright and Barbara Reynolds, a minister who organized his
recent headline-making appearance at the National Press Club in
Washington D.C.

The paper's Rush & Malloy column on May 1st stated: "Reynolds and
Wright couldn't have looked chummier on Tuesday night when they met at
D.C.'s Mayflower Hotel. 'They shared a hug and a kiss and then huddled
in a corner,' says our spy. 'Then they went off to dinner.'"

According to Trinity United Church of Christ's media coordinator
Donna Hammond-Miller, "Dr. Wright did not have dinner with Dr. Reynolds
at any time while in D.C."

Reynolds, a supporter of Hillary Clinton, has been the target of
conspiracy theorists who suggest she may have arranged Rev. Wright's
appearance to embarrass the campaign of Barack Obama.

WBLS 107.5FM, {WBLS.COM} invites
you to sign-up to our E-Newsletter for
Exclusive WBLS information. Hear
the station 24/7 online, Buy Music
for 99c, Shop Online & become
a BLS Music Advisor.
http://www.wbls.com/ENewsletter.html

HELP THE EUR TO CONTINUE TO GROW
Send the EUR to five friends or family members and
tell them to subscribe for FREE by sending an email
to: EURmail-Subscribe@Topica.com . When Topica
responds, just follow the instructions and you'll then
be subscribed!

****** ADVERTISING IN THE EUR WORKS! ******
For more info visit:
http://www.eurweb.com/information/advertise.cfm

EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap
in the dark to our success." - Henry David Thoreau

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
May 5: Singer Craig David is 27. Singer Chris Brown is 19.

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

This blog is the home of entertainment writer and author Shelia
M.
Goss. It's a blog with a flair for the dramatic
(www.sheliagoss.com/blog).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or
less) description to info@eurweb.com.

BLACK HISTORY

May 5, 1969: Moneta Sleet becomes the first African American to
win a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and her daughter at her husband's funeral. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)

**************************
EUR IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY "RADIOSCOPE:
THE ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE AIR"
**************************************
NO information from this report can be reprinted
without specific written permission from Rabercom
Enterprises ( info@rabercom.com )
********************************************
VISIT EUR ON THE WEB
We've got lots more news waiting for you at our
website ( http://www.EURweb.com ). You can
also access *past* issues of the EUR from
our archive.

*** TO *** *** from EUR, just send a BLANK
email to: EURmail-***@topica.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: tayllorcriss@gmail.com

EASY *** click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1djLN.b8lfGP.dGF5bGxv
Or send an email to: EURmail-***@topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------

Back to newsletter list

Date:

From:

Subject:

05-05-08 EUR: Witness Admits Threesome With R. Kelly And Underage Girl